Latest news with #PressureZone
Irish Daily Mirror
01-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
All of the cost of living money changes set to take effect in July
Four money changes are set to take effect for Irish households throughout July. Two eligible groups are in line for payments, with applications now open for one group for a much-needed scheme, while an increase is set to come into effect for another, RSVP Live reports. Those renting a house or apartment and people who drive certain commercial vehicles will also be set for some changes. Here is everything you need to know about any money-related changes happening for the month of July. New Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) rules came into effect for all private and student-specific accommodation tenancies in Ireland on June 20, 2025. As per the new rules, landlords are only able to increase rent once a year by either the rate of inflation or by two per cent, whichever is lowest. You can read more information about the new rules here. Applications for the 2025 Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance opened up for eligible households in June - with payments for the scheme being made from the week starting Monday, 14 July. The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a once-off social welfare payment made to eligible families to assist them with the cost of sending their children back to school. The rate of payment for 2025 is €160 for children aged 4 - 11 and €285 for children aged 12 years and over in second-level education. You can find out more about the payment here. Starting in July 2025, the Carer's Allowance income disregard will increase to €625 for a single person and €1,250 for a couple. The weekly social welfare payment is made to people who care for someone because of their age, disability or illness (including mental illness). To qualify for the payment, your income must be below a certain amount. If you care for two or more people, your rate of Carer's Allowance is increased by 50 per cent (maximum) each week. If you get another social welfare payment, you may get half-rate Carer's Allowance. You can find out more information here. Starting from July 1, 2025, an emissions-based approach to Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) is being introduced. From this date, an eight per cent rate of tax will apply for category B vehicles with CO2 emissions of less than 120 grams per kilometre and vehicles with CO2 emissions greater than 120g/km will be at 13.3 per cent. Category B includes commercial vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of goods and not exceeding 3.5 tonnes. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Irish Independent
16-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
From tenants to landlords: what do the new Rent Pressure Zone reforms mean?
Here is how different parts of the rental sector are impacted by the Government's Rent Pressure Zone reforms...
The Journal
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Journal
New rent rules 'reasonable', says Minister, as govt to scrap cap on rent increases for new tenants
THE REFORMED RENT regulations will be 'well-balanced' and 'reasonable,' the housing minister has said, as the government is expected to scrap the 2% cap on rent increases for new tenancies. Under the proposal, rents for existing tenants in the entire country will be brought under control under the current Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) system that is currently in place. However, the new plans will mean that the 2% rent cap will not apply to apartments built after a certain date, a move the government is hoping will increase apartment construction by the private sector. Landlords will also be allowed to hike rents in instances where tenants leave homes voluntarily. Where a notice to quit is served on a tenant, the landlord can't reset the rent, which the government hopes will remove any economic incentive for landlords to evict their tenants. Browne said it's about balancing protecting renters and attracting investment. 'What we're doing is protecting renters. We're doubling down on renters rights,' he said, speaking ahead of Cabinet this morning. Tenancy protections will be brought in, according to a government source, who said that protecting renters is a key component. It is expected that new tenancies, while facing higher rents, will see a six-year security of tenure rolled out. Browne said the expansion of RPZs is 'one strand' of a package that will be implemented in the next few weeks. 'If we don't do something, every rent in this country goes back to market, and I'm not prepared to let that happen.' 'Supply, supply, supply' Homelessness reached another record high in April, with 4,675 children having accessed emergency accommodation in that month. Advertisement The homelessness figures cover those living in emergency accommodation but not those rough sleeping, refugees, asylum seekers, individuals in domestic violence shelters, or those experiencing 'hidden homelessness', such as sleeping in cars, on couches, or other unsuitable living conditions. 'I am very conscious of homeless people. We shouldn't have any homeless people in this country,' said Browne. 'The way to address homelessness, the way [that] people can get homes that they need to live in, is through supply, supply, supply, supply.' Opposition parties have been calling for a reintroduction of the ban on no fault evictions. Asked whether he will consider such a move, Browne said: 'In fairness, everybody has been trying to do their best, but we do know the only way to address the homelessness situation, the crisis … is supply. And that's what I'm trying to do today, is address that supply issue.' Despite criticism from experts and homelessness charities, Browne says he's confident his plan will work, as he's 'put an awful lot of thought into it'. Housing protest Next week, the Raise the Roof campaign group will hold a demonstration outside Leinster House that is likely to heap further criticism on the government. The protest is seen as a reboot of the campaign and will coincide with a cross-party private members' bill calling for emergency action on the housing crisis. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said the Government's new plan could amount to it 'unleashing the landlords on renters'. Ethel Buckley, deputy general secretary of SIPTU, said she also fears the move will include 'greater sweeteners for investors'. Mike Allen, director of advocacy at Focus Ireland, said while there has been an increase in the amount of affordable housing built, it has not curbed homelessness and a dedicated homelessness plan is needed. He said homelessness organisations don't see protesting as an act of opposition to the Government, but rather as part of a democratic process where issues are raised. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Daily Mirror
09-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rent Pressure Zones extended across entire country & new rules for rising rents
Rent Pressure Zones will be extended across the entire country under plans agreed by the Government leaders and the Housing Minister James Browne. The Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) will be discussed by Cabinet on Tuesday and is set to cause significant political backlash. Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris, Housing Minister James Browne and senior Ministers met in Government Buildings to discuss the plans on Monday evening. Rent caps of 2% will stay in place for existing dwellings. RPZ legislation will now apply across the entire country. There will be no caps on new build apartments, as part of a Government push to increase the supply of apartments being built. It is expected this will be linked to inflation rather than capped. It is expected that a new tenancy rule will be implemented, along with a restriction on no-fault evictions. After this period, believed to be six years, the rent can be increased to match market rates. In a major change, landlords will also be allowed to increase the rents between tenancies. However, landlords will only be able to reset a rent if their tenant voluntarily leaves. Where a notice to quit is served on a tenant, the landlord can't reset the rent, seeking to remove any economic incentive for landlords to evict their tenants. Minister Browne will also categorise landlords according to the number of properties owned. Currently, all landlords are treated the same regardless of how many properties they own. Smaller landlords will now be categorised, it is understood, as having three properties or fewer. The Irish Mirror understands that additional protections will be put in place for tenants. This will include limiting the situations in which a person can be evicted from a property. For smaller landlords, tenants can be told to leave the property if it is being sold or if family is moving in. However, the Irish Mirror understands that the list of eligible family members could be tightened. For larger landlords, they will be allowed to remove tenants if they break contractual agreements only. Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) legislation was introduced in 2016. It limited the amount by which rents in RPZs could be increased to 2 per cent or the level of inflation, whichever is less. The legislation is due to lapse at the end of this year.
RTÉ News
09-06-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
IPOA on rent reform proposals: "A lot of the focus is at the higher level of the market"
Mary Conway, Chairperson of the Irish Property Owner's Association, on how proposed changes to Rent Pressure Zone's will impact landlords.
